Two fragments of Suida’s Lexicon

in Dosoftei’s Parimiile preste an

Mădălina UNGUREANU

Le prophetologium est un texte liturgique, un recueil de péricopes bibliques, la plupart

extraites de l’Ancien Testament, destinées à être lues à l’église, aux vêpres des grandes
fêtes de l’année. Le spécifique de la structure du texte de Dosoftei, Parimiile preste an
(Iaşi, 1683), consiste à l’insertion, dans le texte du prophetologium qu’il traduit, de toute
une série de fragments d’origines diverses, parmi lesquels deux extraits du Lexicon de
Suidas, célèbre encyclopédie byzantine composée probablement vers la fin du X e siècle. On
va suivre dans cet article l’insertion textuelle de ces fragments et leur spécifique en ce qui
concerne le contenu et la manière de traduction.

Mots-clés : Dosoftei, textes liturgiques, péricopes bibliques, histoire de la langue roumaine

1. The Prophetologion (prophetologion in Byzantine culture and parimejnik in

Slavonic) is a type of liturgical book presumed to have appeared in Constantinople
in the eigth century as part of the Church reforms; it is a Lectionary appointed at
Vespers and consists in fragments of the Old Testament, especially of the Prophets’
books, as well as of the historical and sapential ones. There are certain
presumptions according to which the Slavonic variant was translated by Chiril and
Metodiu in the ninth century. A specific feature of its history comes from the fact
that until the Modern Era it has never been printed, being perpetuated exclusively
by means of manuscripts, both in Byzantine and Slavonic tradition. A second
feature which confers this text a unique character lays in the fact that the
Prophetologion, unlike the other types of Lectionaries (the Gospel, the Acts of the
Apostles), is not used any more in the Church practice. There are only few local
uses in Serbian and Bulgarian Church which makes the scholar’s interest towards it
rather poor.
The printing of Dosoftei’s Parimiile preste ani in Iasi in 1683 is not surprising
even in the said context (the information gathered insofar on the history and
circulation of this kind of lectionary reveals that Dosoftei’s Prophetologion is the
only complete lectionary of this kind printed before the Modern Era) since it is
obviously part of the program aiming to translate into Romanian and publish the
most important religious books within the process of affirmation of the Romanian
as language of church service (though, most probably, the Prophetologion was not
used in the Romanian church during the service in Romanian language which also
explains the small number of Romanian Prophetologions that were all kept as
manuscripts, except for Dosoftei’s book). The comparison between the structure

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and content of the Parimiile preste an and the structure and content of Byzantine
and Slavonic manuscripts, as they are presented in the critic editions published so
far, shows that the text of the Moldavian Metropolitan Bishop represents, in what
concerns the Biblical periscopes, text organization and even most of the ritual
insertions, a translation of and equivalent text (Greek, most likely, or Slavonic),
and not – as ascertained in the specialty literature – an own compilation according
to the model of a Prophetologion, eventually based on Nicolae Milescu’s
translation of Septuagint from which Dosoftei might have taken the fragments of
the Old Testament1.
The comparison with critical editions of Byzantine and Slavic Prophetologions
shows, on the other hand, the degree of originality that characterizes Parimiile
preste an consisting of insertions in the Prophetologion, based on thematic criteria,
of other types of texts different from the Bible: original poetic texts, hymns (rarely,
hymns are present in some manuscripts of the Byzantine Prophetologion), oracular
texts (prophecies of Sivila Eritrea, processing according to chapters 15-16 of the
Institutionum Divinarum by Lactantius Firmianus, fragments of Suidas's Lexicon),
all placed before the Canon dedicated to the Feast of the Annunciation. Their
integration in the Prophetologion (which means: overcoming the frames and
restrictions imposed by this kind of liturgical text) seems to indicate that the
Prophetologion’s destination intended by Dosoftei was aiming less to a public
reading during the Vespers, and rather to a private, individual reading.

2. Suida’s Lexicon (Suda or, as stated by other authors, Suidas) is a large

Byzantine encyclopaedia, dating probably from the tenth century, a compilation
based on sources that were lost. The first edition of the Lexicon is made by
Demetrius Chalcocondylos (1499); it is followed by the editions of Aldus, Venice,
1514, reprinted in 1544. The first Latin translation belongs to Hieronimus Wolf
(1564, 1581), and the first bilingual edition, in Greek and Latin, belongs to
Aemilius Portus, Geneva, 1619.
Parimiile preste an includes two fragments of this encyclopaedia.
2.1. The first (III 139r-139v) is a rather large fragment (one page) in Slavonic,
about the origin of which Dosoftei says nothing (be it an own translation or a
translations taken from someone else). The hypothesis of an own translation is not
hazardous, if we consider that the Bishop had good knowledge of Slavonic, a
language into which he also made translations of dogmatic texts from Greek during

1
The assumptions belong to N.A. Ursu (well known statement according to which Dosoftei
would have reviewed consistently Milescu's translation, which was unsatisfactory, and would have
picked up from it Old Testament fragments of the Prophetologion), Eugen Munteanu respectively
(who thinks that Dosoftei used the model of a Slavonic Prophetologion).
2
According to Mihai Moraru, Manierisme formale. Acrostihul sibilin la Dosoftei, in De nuptiis
Mercuri et Philologiae, Editura Fundaţiei Culturale Române, Bucharest, 1997, p. 127: "The presence
of these texts in Dosoftei’s printing is motivated by the fact that the Sibylline Oracles, in medieval art
and literature, had been connected with the prophets’ texts [...]. In chronographs and interpretations,
the sibylline oracles and figures are included in programs focused on Christ’s birth announcement ".

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the Second Polish exile. In the Lexicon, this fragment stays under the entry *Ihsou`"
o& Cristov" kaiV qeov" h&mw`n. We hereinafter reproduce the fragment:

[139r] From Súida’s:

Vß‘ dn*i blagoçßsñívagΣ Û˚Ásñína cr*å bå∆‚e n™∆kño naçálnik´ Û˚ÁdéΣm´ i˚menem´
ÏeΣdósïe. IµΩe bå∆‚e znáem7 mnógimi i˚ samΣ∆mÁ cr*vi. I i˚m™∆l‚e drúga
Xrisñelnína. Sre∆bro kúznßca iµmenem´ fnlíppa. B™∆xõΩe Σ˚bΣ∆n pismeníñi q™∆lΣ.
N™kógdaΩe poricáõwÁ i˚ÁdeínΣvi xrisñïanín´, Σ˚ne¨v™rénïn vß Xa* ba* ná‚egΣ,
ΣµiΩe, v™∆rõ mi‘ i˚m™∆i drúΩe, æ˚kΣ i˚qå∆lΣ i˚zv™sñíxså spasénïå sß‚édîn, † ba* Σ˚c*a,
i˚vßplßñívså. Nß‘ naslúeñmi prisñrásñïe bogañß∆sñva, i˚sláva privr™∆mennaa. V™∆m7
bΣ‘ aµwe krßwõ∆så, nesßñvΣrå∆ñmå pañrïárxa. Nõ‘ eµwe dáså Á˚v™rí‚i Σ˚mn™ iµΩe
eµsm´ i˚zv™wén´, slí‚i † méne, krïeñså vßná‚em rΣ∆d™ svíñΣn´ kondíçnïiÂ
vßne∆mΩe e˚gda bå∆‚e c™∆la cr*kov´ SolomónΣva, vß I˚erÁsalïm™. PisΣváxõså
svw*nici poiµmeni kv* sõ∆we çíslΣm´, poçíslÁ búkvam7. IµpoçíslÁ knígam´ sñ*im´.
(ñolíkΣ bΣ kníg´ sñ*ix´ vßvéñs™n) i˚ eµgda kñò †ñ™∆x7 k*v Á˚mirá‚e. Sßbiráxõså
próçïi, i˚sõ∆dΣm´ i˚Ωr™∆bïem´ iµnΣgΣ Σ˚biráxõ, i˚ i˚splßn™∆xõ m™∆sñΣ mrß∆ñvagΣ.
IµñákΣ prilÁçíså Xrisñóvi, i˚zbráñiså sõ∆dΣm´ ñ™∆x´ k*a sw*nik´ i˚ eµgda
bßsxΣñ™∆‚a Á˚pksáñi e˚gΣ‘, prizvá‚å máñer´. (ÛΣsíf´ bΣ‘ Á˚Ωe b™∆‚e Á˚mrl´)
Ivßprosí‚a õ˚˜ i˚ i˚spov™dà, æ˚kΣ Σµc*a názemli sn*´ MΣiÂsßi neimáñ´. Nß‘ a˚gg*l´ bl*gΣ
v™sñími, i˚ i˚må e˚mù nareçe‘. T™∆mΩe dv*Σõ porodíx´, i˚ pr™bíx7 poroΩdésñv™ e˚gΣ‘
dv*oõ dosél™. I˚prizvá‚e bábi i˚ ispiñáv‚e, Σ˚br™ñó‚a ñákΣ. Dà æµkΣΩe Á˚
v™rív‚eså vßpisá‚e q™∆lΣ divív‚eså, sî∆ce naçßrñáv‚e. Vß Σ˚n´ síca dn*´
skoiçása Σ˚n7 síca sw*nïk´, i˚vßnégΣ m™∆sñΣ bísñ´ Σµbwim´ ná‚im´ i˚zvolénïem´ î*s
sn*ß b*a ΩivágΣ, i˚d™∆vïå Márîå. IcvíñΣk´ñßi sír™ç´ kΣn˜dik´ dáΩe do ii*™
xranea∆n´ eµsñ7 vßc™∆losñi vßñiverïád™ q™∆lΣ ñain˜sñß∆vn™, i˚mene‘ spodobí‚å
vid™∆ñi e˚gΣ.2
The (approximate) translation of this fragment is as follows: During the reign of
the faithful Emperor Justinian there was a Jewish leader named Theodosius, known
to all and to the king himself, and had a Christian friend, a silver worker, with the
name of Philip. They were both very educated. At that time the Jews did not
believe the new Christians, since they did not believe in Christ, our God. But he
had friends of faith, since the news about Christ who was truly the Son of God, the
salvation of all world nations, came from God the Father, who incarnated. But he
[the other] was subjugated to the love of money and fleeting glory because he had
to baptize the patriarch of the undone. But in this respect he became sure that I was
the chosen one. Listen to me. The Law Parchment which was in the temple of
Solomon in Jerusalem at that time was hidden from our people. 22 priests were
assigned by name, holy number, number of letters and number of holy books (that
many holy books were accepted) and when one of those 22 died, acquaintances
gathered and who was chosen by lot was put in place of the dead. And so Christ
came to be chosen by lot together with the 21 priests. And when they wanted to
2
Special thanks to Father Srdjan Stefanov, PhD student within "Dumitru Staniloaie" Faculty of
Letters, for his precious help in deciphering the text.

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register him, they called [his] mother (Joseph was already dead at that time). And
they asked her and she said that "My son has no father on earth. But the angel
preached and told me his name. [...]" And they called for the midwives and asked
them and found that it was so. In order to make sure, they wrote a lot, wondering,
and they learned the same. Instead of the one who was named priest that day, based
on our general will, Jesus the son of God and Virgin Mary was appointed that day.
And this whole document, that is Kontakion, until now secret, can be found in
Galilee; and I was allowed to see it.
The comparison with the full text shows that the page of the Parimiile preste an
combines the summary translation with the omission process; therefore, from the
text of Suidas only the reference to the divine origin of Jesus is kept, while all the
rest is omitted.

2.2. The second piece, a translation of the last portion of the introduction
Au[vgusto" in the Lexicon, falls under the same theme of the prophecies concerning
the coming of Christ, justifying thus its placing before the canon of the
Annunciation (immediately after the Slavonic fragment discussed above).

[139v] Din a lui Suida:

Oti Avgust Chésari, deaca stătu împărat, mearsă la capiştea idolească să-
ntreabe pre Pythíia idolul cine va-mpărăţî după dînsul. Şi-i dzîsă: „Cucon evreu
îm porunceaşte, a dumnădzăi fericiţ ce-mpărăţeaşte, această casă să lipsăsc şi la
iad de-acmuş să lăcuiesc. Deci te du mîlcom din capiştile noastre.” Şi ieşind de la
vraje Avgust, au rădicat în Capetolie oltariu ş-au scris deasupra lătineaşte:
„Oltariul acesta-i a-ntăi născutului Dumnădzău: O domos utos esti tu protogonu
Theu”**3.

The original version seems to have been Greek, this explains why the
inscription, which we are told that was written in Latin, is reproduced by Dosoftei
in Greek: O domos utos esti tu protogonu Theu. What is interesting is the attempt
of the Metropolitan Bishop to resume the words of Pitie in verse: Cucon evreu îm
porunceaşte, a dumnădzăi fericiţ ce-mpărăţeaşte, această casă să lipsăsc şi la iad
de-acmuş să lăcuiesc (although the Greek version does not contain verses: pai`"
&Ebraio" kevletaiv me, qeoi`" makavressin a*navsswn, tovnde dovmon prolipei`n kaiV
a*oidoVn au\qi" i&kevsqai)..

**
Oti Augustus Cesar, when he was crown as an emperor, went to the gods’ sanctuary to ask
Pythia, the god, who would rule after him. And [she] said [to him]: „A Jewish child orders me, who is
the ruler of blessed gods, to leave this house and go live in Hell from now on. So leave our
sanctuaries peacefully.” And after he left the sanctuary, Augustus built a sanctuary in the Capitolium
and above it he wrote in latin: „This sanctuary belongs [is dedicated] to the first born God.”
3
Given that he only had access to the Cyrillic writings, Dosoftei reproduces the phonetic aspect
of the Greek words. In Suida’s text, that sentence is: o& bwmoV" ou[to" e*sti tou` prwtogovnou
qeou` (cf. Suida, Lexicon, vol. 1, p. 411).

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 If he translates by a Greek source, Dosoftei takes a certain freedom compared to
the original by introducing phrases or terms with an explanatory role: „deaca stătu
împărat”, „Pythíia idolul”.
What is intriguing here is the presence of the conjunction o@ti, preserved in
Greek. It would be inappropriate for us to say that it was mistaken by Dosoftei with
a proper name (the Metropolitan Bishop had a good command of Greek). We
would rather say that it is due to an error imputable to the typographer or the clerk
of a possible autograph manuscript containing the text of the Parimiile preste an,
although the question why would they have access to the Greek text still remains
unanswered. Another hypothesis, equally hard to sustain for now, is the use of a
Slavonic original which would have contained the conjunction in question.

3. The presence of the excerpts from Suidas's Lexicon in Parimiile preste an, a
liturgical book specific to the Orthodox Church, raises several questions. First,
there is the question whether they existed in the original document translated by
Dosoftei or not. We would say no to this matter; the consultation of the
monumental critical edition of the Byzantine Prophetologions and the few editions
of Slavic Prophetologions made us conclude that these fragments were not part of
the structure of the liturgical text. Without completely eliminating the extreme
hypothesis of the existence of a Prophetologion manuscript, be it Byzantine or
Slavonic, containing them, we would rather say that their presence in Dosoftei’s
Prophetologion must be attributed to the Metropolitan Bishop, who does this also
with other types of texts (hymns, original poetic texts, processing according to
other oracles).
Another question concerns the presence of the page in Slavonic; it either
belongs to the Metropolitan Bishop or is taken from the Slavonic original, as the
conjunction o@ti.
The fact that Dosoftei knew Suidas's Lexicon may be relevant for another
aspect: in his PhD thesis, Florin Florescu showed that the translator of Septuagint,
the version of Ms. 45 (or maybe the editor?) use this dictionary-encyclopaedia4 in
order to clarify the meaning of some Greek words; one can speculate, therefore, the
idea of a link between the authors of the two texts.

Bibliography
Sources and reference writings:
A Greek-English Lexicon compiled by Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott, With a
revised supplement, 1996, Clarendon Press, Oxford
*** Monumenta musicae Byzantinae. Lectionaria. Edenda curaverunt Carsten Høeg,
Gunther Zuntz. Volumen 1. Prophetologium. Fasciculus primus - Lectiones Nativitatae
et Epiphaniae, Hauniae, 1939; Fasciculus secundus - Lectiones Hebdomadarum 1 et 2

4
Florin Florescu, Literalism şi traducere liberă în tradiţia biblică românească, Doctoral thesis,
Iaşi, 2011.

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 Quadragesimae, Hauniae, 1940; Fasciculus tertius - Lectiones Hebdomadarum 3 et 4
Quadragesimae, Hauniae, 1952; Fasciculus quattuor - Lectiones Hebdomadae 5 et
Hebdomadae in Palmis et Maioris, Hauniae, 1960; Fasciculus quintus - Lectiones
Sabbati Sancti, Hauniae, 1962; Fasciculus sextus - Lectiones ab Ascensione usque ad
Domenica Omnium Sanctorum, Hauniae, 1970; Pars altera - Lectiones anni immobilis,
edidit Gudrun Engbert. Fasciculus primus - Textul continer, Hauniae, 1980; Fasciculus
alter - Apparatum criticum continens, Hauniae, 1981
Miklosich, Fr., Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum, Vindobonae, Guilelmus
Braumueller, 1862-1865
Parimiile preste an, tipărite cu porunca măriii sale prealuminatului întru Iisus Hristos Ioan
Duca Voevoda, cu mila lui Dumnădzău Domn Ţărîi Moldovei şi Ucrainei, cu
posluşaniia smeritului Dosoftei Mitropolitul, în tiparniţa ţărîi [...], vă leat 7191, measeţ
octomvrie, 7 dni
Rivarova, Zdenka, Hauptova, Zoe, Grigorovicev Parimejnik, 1. Tekst s criticiki aparat,
Skopje, 1998
Suidae Lexicon, Edit. Ada Adler, Pars I-V, Lipsiae in aedibus B. G. Teubneri,
MCMXXVIII

Secondary literature:
Florescu, Florin, Literalism şi traducere liberă în tradiţia biblică românească, Doctoral
thesis, Iaşi, 2011
Moraru, Mihai, Manierisme formale. Acrostihul sibilin la Dosoftei, în De nuptiis Mercuri et
Philologiae, Editura Fundaţiei Culturale Române, Bucureşti, 1997, p. 127-139
Munteanu, Eugen, Lexicologie biblică românească, Bucureşti, Editura Humanitas, 2008
Ursu, N. A., Note şi variante, în Dosoftei, Opere, 1. Versuri, Ediţie critică de N. A. Ursu,
Studiu introductiv de Al. Andriescu, Bucureşti, Editura Minerva, 1978, p. 389-513

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